Silo roof



Nov. 1, 1938. CA. BANGERT 2,135,437

SILO ROOF I Filed A ri1'22, 193s I N VEN TOR. Char/e5 14. Banyan.

BY m7 ATTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 1, 1938 UNITED STATES SILO ROOF Charles A. Bangert, Columbus, Ohio, assignor to Lamneck Products, Incorporated, Columbus, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application April 22,

2 Claims.

My invention relates to silo roofs. It has to do, more particularly, with a silo roof which is of sheet metal construction and is adapted to be applied to various types of silos.

Silo roofs have been constructed in the past from sheet metal. These silo roofs are usually made of a number of sheets or panels of sheet metal which have their adjacent edges connected together. These sheets or panels are so arranged as to form a substantially frusto-conical structure which is adapted to be mounted on the upper end of a substantially circular silo. The sheets or panels are usually so joined together at their edges that slight relative movement between the adjacent panels is permitted in order to make possible the application of the roof to a silo which is out of round or of an odd diameter. However, the joint between adjacent sheets or panels which has been provided in the past for permitting slight relative movement therebetween has a number of undesirable features. In the first place, the movement which is permitted is not sufiicient. Furthermore, the joint has been so constructed that a number of angular bends in the edges of the adjacent sheets are necessary to form the complete joint. This makes it diflicult to form the joint. Also, complicated and expensive securing clips have been necessary for securing the edges of the adjacent panels together.

Another disadvantage of prior art silo roofs of the type indicated resides in the type of filling door which has been provided in the side of the roof. This door is usually of the hinged type which swings outwardly. This type of door is very dangerous because if opened during a high wind there is danger of its being swung outwardly by the wind with such force as to knock the workman who opens it off the silo.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a self-supporting silo roof structure which is made up of a plurality of panels joined together which are so formed as to reinforce them selves.

Another object of my invention is to provide a silo roof structure made up of' a plurality of panels which are so joined together as to permit considerable relative movement between adjacent panels, the joint between adjacent panels being of a simple structure, and easy to form and assemble, and the securing means required at the joint being simple and easy to apply.

Another object of my invention is to provide a door in the roof structure which is of simple structure and is safe to operate.

1936, Serial No. 75,838

The preferred embodiment of my invention is illustratedin the accompanying drawing wherein similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts and wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a complete silo roof structure made in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the roof structure showing the door structure applied thereto.

Figure 3 is a perspective view, partly broken away, illustrating the joint between two adjacent panels.

Figure 4 is a front elevational view, partly cut away, of the door structure illustrated in Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a section taken substantially line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a detail illustrating the bracket which I preferably employ in securing the roof structure to the silo.

With reference to. the drawing and particularly to Figure l, I have illustrated a silo roof structure of the gambrel type embodying a lower portion l' of frusto-conical form and anupper portion 2' also of frusto-conical formbut inclined to agreater extent than-the portion I.

Each of the portions I and 2 is made up of a plurality of self-supporting panels 3 each of which is formed of a single sheet of sheet metal. As indicated in Figure 1, each of the panels gradually decreases in width from its lower to its upper edge. Midway between the side edges of each panel a reinforcing rib' 4 is formed which extends from the lower edge to the upper edge of the panel. This rib 4 is of arcuate cross-sectiorr and, therefore, is easy to form in the panel. Furthermore, it gradually decreases in width from its lower end to its upper end in accordance with the decrease in width of the panel.

In Figure 3 I illustrate the joint which I provide for securing the adjacent panels together in such a manner as to permit slight relative movement therebetween. As ilustrated in this figure, one of the adjacent panels has its edge bent to form a rib 5 of substantially arcuate cross-section. This rib 5 gradually decreases in width from the lower end of the panel to the upper end thereof as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3. The other adjacent panel 3 has its adjacent edge bent to form a similar rib 5a which is of arcuate crosssection and gradually decreases in width from the lower end of the panel to the upper end thereof. This rib 5a. is of less radius than the =rib 5. The rib 5a is adapted to fit within the 55 along 'ment, between the two adjacent panels.

structure may be readily applied to silos which are out of round; This is important because it often happens that the silo walls are not exactly circular.

The filling'doorwhich I preferably provide in the side of the portion l of the roof structure is illustrated best in Figures 2 and 4. As'illustrated, an'openingS is provided in the bottom portion of one of the panels 3. This opening is adapted'to be covered or exposed by means of .a' sliding do'orjlfl. The door! 0 embodies a single sheet of material which has a rib ll of arcuate cross-sectionformed midway between the side edges thereof and extending for theentireheight.

thereof. This rib serves 'to reinforce the door. The side eges of the doorare curled inwardly as indicated at. l2 in Figure 5. These curled portions [2 fit around vertically disposed rods. I 3. As indicated, the lower ends of the rods. l3 are loosely mounted for lateral movement in bracket members l4. These rods. [3 are disposed directly adjacent the edges'of vthef opening 9.. They extend upwardly a distance equal to substantially twice the height of the door 10.

Abovethopening9a member l5 is secured (to the panel 3. This member has its side edges bent'rearwardlyand then laterally as indicated in Figure 2 and is secured, to the panel as at 16.

. V The door I0 when moved into open position is adapted .toslide beneath the member I5. This member I5 is made of a single sheet of material and has areinforcin'g'rib l'lformed therein and slidej The rods I3 extend upwardly'within' the member. l5'and their upper ends are attached to the panel 3 exactly in the same manner thatthe lower ends thereof 'areattached to thepanel. It

willbe noted'in Figure 4 that'the rods 13 are bowed slightly throughout their lengths. This is an important feature. Because they are so bowed, the "rods l3 will always contact with the sides of the guides formed by the curled portionsi l2 on the door Ill with suilicient force to create sufiicient friction to hold the door loin any position to which it is moved. Therefore, there is no danger of the door accidentally falling shut after it is. once opened. As illustrated 'in-Fig'ure 4, whenthe door is closed, its upper end still extends beneath the portion [5. Therefore, there will'be nodanger of leakage. The door is protected at all times from the weather. It will be readily apparent that the door may beeasily adjusted vertically between its various positions. Because the ends of the rods l3 are loosely mounted so as to permit lateral move- .ment, the door may be moved into its various brackets are so shapedas to rest on the'upper end ofv the silo. Each is provided with a hori-;

same extent as the roof panel 3. 24 'has a vertical slot 25 formed therein. A bolt zontal portion I9, a portion 20 which overlaps the inner surface'of the silo wall and a downwardly extending portion 2| which overlaps the outer surface or the silo wall.

the upper portion of the silo wall.

bracket l8 also has an inclinedportion 24 at its upper end which is inclined to substantially'the' This portion 26 passes through the panel 3 and through the slot .25. It will be apparent that the brackets l8 serve as simple means for eiiectively holding the roof structure in place on the silo. The slot 25 and bolt 26 provide an adjustable connection which also aids in permitting the roof structure to be applied to a silo which is out of round or of an odd diameter. Thus, the bolt and slot connection 25-46 and the bolt and slot connection 6'l cooperate with each other to permit theroof structure to be applied to a silo wall which. is out of round or of an odd diameter.

I provide a small swinging door 21 in theupper portion '2 of the roof for permitting filling of the upper portion of the silo. This door is disposed towards the center of the silo so as to ink sure that the center portion thereof will be filled. V

vIt will be apparent from. the above that I have provided a silo roof having many desirable This silo roof is made up of a. plurality of panels of metal which are so formed that the roof is self-supportingq'The joints-8 characteristics.

This portion. 2] has 'a hook 22 on its lower end which is adapted to cooperate with a ring 23 which extends around A ring of this type is usually employed on stave silos. The

and'theribs 4 serve adequately to'reinfor ce the Qusly explained. The joints 8'are of simple construction and may be readily. formed. 7 Furthercuringthe adjacent panels together is very simple. Also, the means provided for securing the entire roof. structure to the silo is verysimple and efiicient and permits application of the roof 7 more, the, means provided at these joints-for se beneath which: the rib H on thedoor it) will Ye structure to a silo which is out of round; The doorstructure which I have provided in'the' side from their lower edge to their upper edge and being arranged to form a frusto-conical structure, the adjacent edges of said panels having interfitting ribs, said ribs being of substantially semicircular cross-section and 1 being disposed.

in superimposed relationship, said ribs gradually decreasing in width from their lower end to their upper end in accordance with the decrease in width of the panels, pin and transverse slot con- 7 A nections for securing the interfitting ribs to; gether in such a manner as to permit relative movement therebetween. said interfitting ribs of the panels being the only supporting means pro vided at the joints between the panels, each of said panels having a rib intermediate the side edges thereof for reinforcing, said ribbeing of arcuate cross-section and gradually decreasing in width from its lower end to the upper end in panel.

2. A silo roof comprising a plurality of panels arranged edge to edge, said panels being so formed that they gradually decrease in width from their lower edge to their upper edge and being arranged to form a frusto-conical structure, the adjacent edges of said panels having interfitting ribs, said ribs being of substantially semicircular cross section and being disposed in superimposed relationship, said ribs gradually decreasing in width from their lower end to their upper end in accordance with the decrease in width of the panels, pin and transverse slot connections for securing the interfitting ribs together in such a manner as to permit relative movement therebetween, said interfitting ribs of the panels being the only supporting means provided at the joints between the panels.

' CHARLES A. BANGERT. 

